Second Presidential Debate Goes Virtual Ahead of 2020 Election

The second presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will be virtual as the country continues to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) made the decision known in a press release on Thursday, “The second presidential debate will take the form of a town meeting, in which the candidates would participate from separate remote locations.”

The CPD noted that C-SPAN Senior Executive Producer & Political Editor Steve Scully and town meeting participants will be at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County in Miami, Florida.”

Additionally, “The White House Pool will provide coverage of the second presidential debate,” the press release reads.

The move is “to protect the health and safety of all involved.”

The second presidential debate is scheduled for Oct. 15 and the third is scheduled for Oct. 22. The debate going virtual comes after the first debate was held on Sept. 29 and the president’s positive COVID-19 diagnosis days later.

Since, Biden and his wife, as well as Vice President Mike Pence and the second lady, have tested negative multiple times for the virus.

The change also comes after Biden said on Tuesday that if Trump still has COVID-19 by the debate, then “we shouldn’t have a debate,” as IJR reported. Additionally, Trump indicated earlier this week tweeting he was “FEELING GREAT” and “looking forward to the debate.”

At the vice-presidential debate on Wednesday night, Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) were seated 12 feet apart and there were plexiglass barriers — barriers which some medical experts told CNBC are just “entirely symbolic.”